Device for detachably linking a wiper blade to a driven wiper arm

Abstract

A wiper blade assembly for a windshield wiper. In one embodiment, the wiper blade assembly includes a connector mounted on a blade support element. The connector has a receiving portion shaped to receive a first part of the end portion of a wiper arm and further has a securing portion shaped to secure a second part of the end portion of the wiper arm.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A wiper blade assembly, comprising:
 a wiper blade; and 
 a connector coupled to said wiper blade such that at least a portion of said connector and said wiper blade pivot relative to each other about a pivot, said pivot having a pivot axis extending through lateral side walls of said connector in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of said wiper blade; 
 wherein said connector has a front portion on a front side of the connector relative to the pivot and a rear portion on a rear side of the connector relative to said pivot, and said rear portion having a receiving member on a lateral side of said rear portion, the receiving member including a first edge that is angled such that a top of the first edge is closer to the front portion of the connector in a direction of the longitudinal axis than a bottom of the first edge, 
 wherein said connector has a mid-portion between said front and rear portions, 
 wherein an outer top surface of said front portion is raised relative to said mid-portion, 
 wherein said front portion has lateral sides that are wider apart than lateral sides of said mid-portion, and 
 wherein an uppermost edge of a lateral side of the mid-portion extends further above the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade than an uppermost edge of the receiving member. 
 
     
     
       2. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first edge forms an acute angle with a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade, said angle being in a range of 30° to 80° with the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade. 
     
     
       3. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first edge forms an angle that is not perpendicular to a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade. 
     
     
       4. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the top of the first edge is lower than the outer top surface of said front portion. 
     
     
       5. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the top of the first edge is lower than a top of said mid-portion. 
     
     
       6. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivot is located at least partially between the front portion and the receiving member. 
     
     
       7. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a widest part of said rear portion is wider than a widest part of said mid-portion. 
     
     
       8. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said front portion defines at least part of an opening on the outer top surface of said front portion, and the opening is positioned entirely on the front side of the connector relative to the pivot. 
     
     
       9. A wiper blade assembly, comprising:
 an elongated wiper blade; and 
 a connector coupled to said wiper blade such that at least a portion of said connector and said wiper blade pivot relative to each other about a pivot, said pivot having a pivot axis extending through lateral side walls of said connector in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of said wiper blade; 
 wherein said connector has a front portion on a front side of the connector relative to the pivot and a rear portion on a rear side of the connector relative to said pivot, said rear portion having a receiving member on a lateral side of said rear portion, the receiving member including a first edge extending substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis to face toward said front portion, wherein the first edge is angled such that a top portion of the first edge is closer to the front portion of the connector in a direction of the longitudinal axis than a bottom portion of the first edge, 
 wherein said connector has a mid-portion between said front and rear portions, 
 wherein an outer top surface of said front portion is raised relative to said mid-portion, and 
 wherein an uppermost edge of a lateral side of the mid-portion extends further above the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade than an uppermost edge of the receiving member. 
 
     
     
       10. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein a widest part of said front portion is wider than a widest part of said mid-portion. 
     
     
       11. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the first edge forms an acute angle with a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade, said angle being in a range of 30° to 80° with the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade. 
     
     
       12. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the first edge forms an angle that is not perpendicular to a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade. 
     
     
       13. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the top portion of the first edge is lower than the outer top surface of said front portion. 
     
     
       14. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the top portion of the first edge is lower than a top of said mid-portion. 
     
     
       15. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the pivot is located at least partially between the front portion and the receiving member. 
     
     
       16. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein a widest part of said rear portion is wider than a widest part of said mid-portion. 
     
     
       17. A wiper blade assembly, comprising:
 a wiper blade; 
 a connector coupled to said wiper blade such that at least a portion of said connector and said wiper blade pivot relative to each other about a pivot; 
 wherein said connector has a front portion on a front side of said connector relative to the pivot and a rear portion on a rear side of said connector relative to said pivot, wherein said connector has a mid-portion extending between said front and rear portions, said mid-portion having a lower surface facing said wiper blade, wherein said front portion has a lower surface positioned further away from said wiper blade than said lower surface of said mid-portion, 
 wherein said rear portion includes a lateral protrusion defining a surface on a front side of said protrusion, said surface being inclined such that a top edge of said surface is nearer said pivot in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the wiper blade than a bottom edge of said surface, and 
 wherein an uppermost edge of a lateral side of the mid-portion extends further above the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade than an uppermost edge of the lateral protrusion. 
 
     
     
       18. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein a widest part of said rear portion is wider than a widest part of said mid-portion. 
     
     
       19. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said front portion of said connector has a top surface, said top surface defining a U-shaped indentation facing said pivot such that a base of said U-shaped indentation is oriented transversally relative to said longitudinal axis of said wiper blade and branches of said U-shaped indentation extend from said base toward said pivot and parallel to said longitudinal axis of said wiper blade, and said U-shaped indentation being positioned entirely on the front side of the connector relative to the pivot. 
     
     
       20. The wiper blade assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the surface on the front side of the lateral protrusion forms an acute angle with a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis of said wiper blade, said angle being in a range of 30° to 80° with the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade.